1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool useful for assembling a composite connector from a plurality of individual connectors, mounting the composite connector having a plurality of right angle tails extending therefrom into openings therefor formed in a substrate, and stiffening the substrate to prevent bowing of the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 1A and 1B are, respectively, side and rear elevational views of a prior art electrical connector C showing the same mounted to the surface of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board PCB. In the Figures the connector C is meant to represent any of the variety of connector products sold by the Electronics Department of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, including the modularized header and receptacle connectors sold under the trademark Metral.TM.. Such Metral.TM. header and receptacle modules are discussed generally in the DuPont Connector Systems Product Catalog A, February, 1992, Chapter 10.
In the generalized case the connector C includes an insulating body B which carries a plurality of electrical contact terminals therein. The terminals may be signal transmission terminals of either the pin or receptacle type, bladed power terminals, and/or hybrid coaxial/power/guide terminals. Each terminal includes a tail, generally indicated by the character T, that extends through the rear surface of the body B.
The form of each tail T varies in accordance with the type of terminal of which it is a part. The various forms of tails are best illustrated in FIG. 1B. The tail of a signal transmission terminal, whether of the pin or the receptacle type, is indicated in the Figures by the specific reference character T.sub.s. A signal transmission tail T.sub.s is a generally flat beam member having a predetermined transverse dimension D.sub.s. The tails T.sub.s of signal transmission terminals are usually arranged into nested groups, as is best seen in FIG. 1B. Each tail T.sub.s may be in the form of a solder tail, or, as is illustrated, have a compliant section K immediately above the tip thereof. A pushing shoulder S is spaced a predetermined distance above the compliant section K. For reasons that will become more clear herein each tail T.sub.s is provided with retention features generally indicated by the character R. In one instance, as is best illustrated in FIG. 2A, the retention feature may be configured as outwardly flaring barbs indicated by the character R.sub.B. Alternatively, as is best illustrated in FIG. 2B, the retention feature takes the form of a lanced portion indicated by the character R.sub.L.
The tail of a bladed power terminal is indicated in the Figures by the specific reference character T.sub.b. A tail T.sub.b of a bladed power terminal is also a generally flat beam member, albeit of a more substantial nature than the signal transmission terminal. Accordingly, a tail T.sub.b exhibits a predetermined transverse dimension D.sub.b that is greater than the transverse dimension D.sub.s of the tail T.sub.s of a signal transmission terminal. The tails T.sub.b of bladed power terminals are also usually arrayed in nested groups. Similarly, bladed power terminal tails T.sub.b are provided with either the lance retention feature R.sub.L or the barbed retention feature R.sub.B. Each tail T.sub.b may be in the form of a solder tail, or, as is illustrated, have a compliant section K immediately above the tip thereof.
The tail portion of a typical hybrid receptacle terminal is indicated in the Figures by the specific reference character T.sub.h. A tail T.sub.h is usually a machined, block-like member having a major transverse dimension D.sub.h. The block-like tail T.sub.h has an upper pushing surface U and an array of fingers F depending from the lower surface. The fingers F may also have a compliant section K. The fingers F as slightly inwardly offset from the lateral surfaces of the block. A receptacle barrel (not shown) is attached to the front of the block member. It should be understood that a stamped power receptacle such as that disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 07/843,261, filed Feb. 12, 1992 in the name of Stephen L. Clark (EL-4338) and assigned to the assignee of the present invention may be used in place of the typical hybrid receptacle terminal above described.
In typical usage the tails of the various types of terminals are inserted into openings H formed in the board PCB. This is usually a manually intensive task. To assist in this effort there is available a tool, known as a slotted push block, which is inserted over nested groups of tails and which permits an operator to push groups of the tails into the openings H. The push block is fabricated from a conductive material, and is removed from the board after after use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,045,868; 4,156,553; 4,188,715; 4,220,393; and 4,269,468 disclose an electrical connector in which a portion of a housing structure is used to push tails of terminal contacts into a board.
The board PCB has, in some instances the tendency to bow. Usually this bowing is caused by heat, as during the soldering of the tails to the board, or by reaction forces imposed on the board by compliant tail sections. This is especially disadvantageous when a connector is mounted to the board using surface mount technology (SMT). In such an instance bowing may cause the connector to become separated either wholly or partially from the board. In addition, bowing is disadvantageous as it may preclude the matability of a given board with a connector mounted on another board. In some instances one or more elongated stiffening bars may be mounted to the surface of the board to overcome the tendency of the board to bow.
In view of the foregoing it is believed advantageous to provide a tool that will permit the assembly of a composite connector having a customized length from two or more modular connectors, such as Metral.TM. header and receptacle modules. It is also believed advantageous to provide a tool that will assist in inserting the tails of any of the various contact terminals into a substrate. It is believed to be of yet further advantage to provide such a tool that may remain in place after the insertion of the tails to serve to overcome the tendency of a board to bow.